Olivia Raynor, PhD

Tarjan Center, University of California Los Angeles

Olivia Raynor, Ph.D. is Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences and Director of the Tarjan Center, a University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at the Semel Institute, University of California Los Angeles. For nearly 30 years Dr. Raynor has been engaged in projects addressing the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in employment, volunteerism and service, post secondary education, and the arts. Since 1994, she has also served as the founding Director of the National Arts and Disability Center, an internationally recognized information and training center dedicated to promoting the inclusion of artists and audiences with disabilities into the arts. Since 2001 she has administered the Statewide Forums on Careers in the Arts for People with Disabilities Initiative, providing technical assistance and support to 26 state arts agencies conducting forums. She is also responsible for the overall leadership of the Consortium on Postsecondary Education Options for Students with Developmental Disabilities, a statewide group dedicated to improving access to college by students with developmental disabilities. Dr. Raynor holds degrees from Boston University and the University of Southern California in Occupational Therapy and a doctorate from the University of California Los Angeles in Educational Psychology. In 2006, Dr. Raynor was a recipient of a Visionary Award by Kern County Regional Center, California.